KoPT expects cargo to be flat

Despite the economic slowdown, Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) expected a marginal increase in net cargo this year.

It hoped to handle a total of 58 million tons (mnt) of net cargo this year, as against 57.28mnt last fiscal.

Speaking on the sidelines of a press meet in Kolkata on Saturday, A K Chanda, chairman of KoPT, said, “ There would be no significant growth this year, as was witnessed last year. However, despite the global meltdown we hope to maintain last year's level and handle a total of 58 million tons of net cargo by the end of this year."

Till November 30 the port handled a total of 36mnt of cargo.

Exports and imports were affected in the last few months with falling iron ore traffic, but situation improved recently.

KoPT expected to handle 58mnt of net cargo by the end of this year, Chanda admitted.

The construction of the Paradip-Haldia pipeline would have reduced petroleum crude traffic at KoPT but this had been delayed and so the cargi was still going through the port. Last year, KoPT handled a total of 18mnt of crude and petroleum product cargo, 12mnt of crude and 6mnt of petroleum products.

This would have been diverted through the Paradip-Haldia pipeline.

KoPT was looking into various ways and measures to upgrade security and surveillance both on land and water at Kolkata and Haldia ports following the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, said Chanda.

The steps included setting up of an independent marine wing with the help of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), installation of biometric access control system, advanced communication and monitoring system using CCTVs and Automatic Identity System at both the ports and the setting up of marine police stations around the periphery of the ports and other possible routes.